Donâ€™t Count Me Out.

Senator Orrin Hatch2018-01-12 16:29:17

Dear Friend,Â
Last week, I announced that my current term of service would be my last. Since then, many of you have asked how I feel with my Senate tenure drawing to a close. I think some expect me to say that I feel an overwhelming sense of satisfaction or relief.Â
Hardly.
If anything, the decision to retire has imbued me with a sense of urgency as I have never felt before. With a year left in office, I have an agenda that is as ambitious as ever. And the ticking shot clock is a constant reminder of just how much I have left to accomplish.Â
Yesterday I spoke about my aggressive agenda for 2018 on the Senate floor.
Fortunately, the stars have aligned for this year to be among my most successful yet, so donâ€™t expect me to â€śgo gentle into that good night.â€ť Expect me to be on the Senate floor, early and often, pushing the most critical reforms of this Congress. Expect me to take the lead on a Finance Committee agenda that will equal in ambition our accomplishments of 2017. Expect me to be the same steady presence in the Senate that I have been for the last four decades.
Above all, expect a flurry of legislative activity from my office. I have a dedicated staff determined to drive this old workhorse into the ground. And I have arguably the best working relationship with the White House of anyone on Capitol Hill. Add to this the advantages that accrue from a lifetime of legislative experience and bipartisan deal-making. The point I wish to make is simple: In legislative terms, my final year could very well be the most fruitful yet.
In the months ahead, I am eager to capitalize on our tax reform victory by putting the nation back on the path to fiscal sustainability, finding a way forward on immigration, and securing long-term funding for the Childrenâ€™s Health Insurance Program.
But this brief overview doesnâ€™t cover even half of my agenda for 2018. Nor does it include some of the legislative surprises I plan for later this year. The virtue of being a seven-term Senator with a reservoir of goodwill is that you have a little bit of latitude in your final year. Thatâ€™s why my plan is to go big and to go bold. Because unless youâ€™re Michael Jordan, you only retire onceâ€”so you might as well make the most of it.Â
The truth is, I put the pieces in place long ago to ensure that my final year in office would be a legislative knockout. So no one should count me outâ€”not for a single second. And anyone who does should be reminded that I can do in just a few months what it takes most Members a decade to complete.
Tough, old birds like me donâ€™t have lame-duck years. We just dig in and get tougher. For me, 2018 is not a victory lap but a sprint to the finishâ€”and I plan to finish strong.
Sincerely,
Â
Orrin

Last week, I announced that my current term of
service would be my last. Since then, many of you
have asked how I feel with my Senate tenure
drawing to a close. I think some expect me to say
that I feel an overwhelming sense of satisfaction
or relief.Â

Hardly.

If anything, the decision to retire has imbued
me with a sense of urgency as I have never felt
before. With a year left in office, I have an
agenda that is as ambitious as ever. And the
ticking shot clock is a constant reminder of just
how much I have left to accomplish.Â

Fortunately, the stars have aligned for this
year to be among my most successful yet, so
donâ€™t expect me to â€śgo gentle into
that good night.â€ť Expect me to be on the
Senate floor, early and often, pushing the most
critical reforms of this Congress. Expect me to
take the lead on a Finance Committee agenda that
will equal in ambition our accomplishments of
2017. Expect me to be the same steady presence in
the Senate that I have been for the last four
decades.

Above all, expect a flurry of legislative
activity from my office. I have a dedicated staff
determined to drive this old workhorse into the
ground. And I have arguably the best working
relationship with the White House of anyone on
Capitol Hill. Add to this the advantages that
accrue from a lifetime of legislative experience
and bipartisan deal-making. The point I wish to
make is simple: In legislative terms, my final
year could very well be the most fruitful
yet.

In the months ahead, I am eager to capitalize
on our tax reform victory by putting the nation
back on the path to fiscal sustainability,
finding a way forward on immigration, and
securing long-term funding for the
Childrenâ€™s Health Insurance Program.

But this brief overview doesnâ€™t cover
even half of my agenda for 2018. Nor does it
include some of the legislative surprises I plan
for later this year. The virtue of being a
seven-term Senator with a reservoir of goodwill
is that you have a little bit of latitude in your
final year. Thatâ€™s why my plan is to go big
and to go bold. Because unless youâ€™re
Michael Jordan, you only retire onceâ€”so you
might as well make the most of it.Â

The truth is, I put the pieces in place long
ago to ensure that my final year in office would
be a legislative knockout. So no one should count
me outâ€”not for a single second. And anyone
who does should be reminded that I can do in just
a few months what it takes most Members a decade
to complete.

Tough, old birds like me donâ€™t have
lame-duck years. We just dig in and get tougher.
For me, 2018 is not a victory lap but a sprint to
the finishâ€”and I plan to finish strong.